jaaron01

I'll tell you the best/cheapest thing for a rudder is find an old trolling motor off CL. I bought and old one with the metal shaft for 15.00. Then I just cut off the head and the controller, flattened out one end with a hammer and added a piece of 1/8 sheet metal to it. It clamps on just like a trolling motor, and won't slip off when making a turn. And it's adjustable to different depths by tilting it up or down. I posted a pic several posts back. Cheap and easy, and definitely a must have.

I keep the boat outside during the winter, upside down on it's trailer, then pull the seat/flooring section out for storage. It's nice to just drop this section in, and go. Plus it weights enough that it won't blow out while driving down the road. I made sure and made the compartment doors facing backwards so the wind wouldn't get under them.

Decided this year to redo the flooring in my Dolphin Sportsman. Before I had just a sheet of 3/4 marine plywood, with 1 pedestal seat base screwed to it. Decided to build the floor up enough so that the base would set flush on it, and have a couple of compartments in the flooring for storage. Got the hatch in the middle completed, but need to finish the front hatch. I'd say the total weight is around 75-80 lbs, but I have a 4x8 trailer that I use for my little 8ft boat. Also added the battery box in the back to keep things secured going down the highway. Nothing worse than hitting a bump and having the battery bounce around.

That's and awesome design, seems like i've seen that setup before. It works great as well!!!!

Bomber 7- sent you a PM about your carpet.

Only other place with wood is the rear transom area. As for cup holders I just got mine and put them in the slots were the cupholders go, and used a fat/short sheet metal screw and went thru the bottom of the cup holder and into the boat. I don't think anything else will really hold in that plastic.

On the front of these little boats they are re-enforced with a wood mount under the plastic. I just used some thin Ply (or whatever your have) and made a sandwich type mount. Thin Ply on one side/Thin ply on otherside and screwed them in. Gotta watch the thickness of the ply or when combined with the thickness of the plastic your TM wont fit over it. Also some intertube rubber will help keep the TM from pulling off the wood when making sharp turns, and forgetting your TM was set on "5". JIm

How much are they asking for everything? Just make sure and get all the paperwork and that you will be able to transfer everything over into your name. Here in Nebraska is tough to do anything without extensive paperwork. I've got a trailer that I own, but had to have my buddy on the Iowa side register it in Iowa under his name, as Nebraska wouldn't register it without a vin number, unless I paid a couple hundred for bonding. In iowa it was $20.00 and a done deal.

I agree with you on the Reverse thrust. You got to put it on high, then wait and pray it kicks in !!!!! Must be something to due with the pitch on the prop that causes it to be almost useless in reverse. I've read different things about these Kipawa props, some folks swear by them, others swear at them. I thought before I chunked out 200-250 bucks for a bigger trolling motor I would give this a shot. It'll be a while before I get to try her out, due to everything being frozen up here. Sure wish I could get up the nerve to Ice Fish, but for this Southern boy, 20 years of "Don't go out on the frozen Pond" does something to your mind!! Thanks Mom.

I decided before I bought a bigger trolling motor I would try one of these High Performance Props and see how it works on the Minn Kota. I know I've ready several different things on them, good, and some bad about overheating the motor. My warrently is out anyway, so thought for 29.00 I would give it a shot and see how it works.

What did you find? No picture attached.

Biggest flaw on these little boats is getting holes in the btoom of them from being draged to and from the water. Check out the bottom of the boat, and look for scrap marks, or holes/cracks in the hull. They are normally filled with foam inside the hull, which makes them almost impossible to sink, but they fill with water and weight a ton. Another thing is make sure you have the paperwork so you can register it in your state. That is the biggest pain here in Nebraksa, without the title, it was nearly impossible to register, so I just bought a new 8ft for like $425.00 and had no worries. Other folks might have more things to watch for, but these are the big things I seen when shopping.

Feel free to share any stuff you find out on here. I've searched the Web and most sites seem to eventually lead right back to this thread. Always looking for ideas for storage. Seen on 1 thread were some guy had taken a small ice-chest ( like 6ix pack size ) and sunk it into the side of his pelican, down in one of the pontoons. He had dug out some of the foam, and then just sunk it in, just leaving the lid sticking up about 1/2 inch. He didn't post any photos, and i don't think I'm that desperate for photos, but would have like to seen how it turned out.

Did you start to notice the noise after a while? usage? i'm not too worried as i don't expect too much usage besides me...the boys on occasion. I noticed it from day one. My chair rails made noise anytime you scooted them forward or backward. I fixed that problem on the front seat when I changed it out and added the pole instead. (Which I couldn't live without now), but left the back seat as it was. I've had the 8 year old out with me, and a few buddies and each time they move, you can hear that rail sliding around in the plastic channel that the seats fit into. I just put the rubber hose on there to quite them down, and also make them less slidable. They will still slide forward and backward, just takes a little more effort than before, and they don't make that (scrapping hollow plastic sound) anymore.

Still working on the boat during the holiday break. Decided instead of having my throw cushion bungeed around the back of my seat I would just add a little piece of wood and bungee to that. Also works with keeping things out of the floor. Buddy goes with me never wears his life jacket so he can bungee that to the back of his seat and keep it off the floor and out of the way. Also went to Walmart and found some utility clips (spring loaded) for like $1.39 for two. Took one of those and used Marine Goop (Adhesive) and a couple of screws to help keep the boat oar off the floor as well. Springs not too strong so it's easy to open, and shouldn't pull off when pulling the Oar out. Anything to keep items off the floor and free up space in these little boats is a big help!!!

I figured while the water is frozen, and the Ice Fisherman have the reins up here in Nebraska, it was time to do a little work on the boat. First thing i did was reposition the Battery and Tray i had under the back seat, and turn it sideways in the boat instead of long ways. Couple times I had someone with me, I noticed they banged into it sometimes. Now with it turned sideways and bolted down, it's completely out of their way and under the rear seat. Other thing I finally did was fix the chair rails on the passenger seat. Everytime someone moved that back seat back and forward, they would make noise (hard plastic and metal railing rubbing) and it seemed to reverberate throughout the boat. So I noticed this summer my Black Garden hose was cracked, so I cut 2 pieces the length of the rails, and slit them, and put them over the metal rails. Chair can still be moved but won't be sliding all over the place, which can get agrivating sometime. More things to come, just thought I'd share that with you guys incase anyone else wanted to make their chairs a little quieter.

I seen you got your Trolling motor in the rear, and was wondering how that worked for you? I would recommend putting it on the front and putting a rudder in the back. Makes a world of difference in my book, but you might have already tried that.

So it's the middle of December here in Nebraska, and everyone is getting ready for ice fishing, so my little boat is tucked in nice and warm in the basement. Has anyone done any neat modifications to there boat while the cooler weather is upon them? Hoping Santa Claus will bring me my new 50-55 llb thrust trolling motor as requested. I'm ready for winter to be over and get back on the water for some early spring Crappie fishing. Also been crusing the basspro and cabela's catalogs for some boat accessories. Found a neat little orginizer that's offered in charcoal grey, so I can throw my bug spray and extra items like pliers, spare trolling motor shear pins...etc.etc.. Anyway haven't seem much movement on this thread lately so thought I'd ask what everyone was doing. Wish I lived in a warmer climate!!!!!

I know this topic has been covered a few times, and the general response has been don't do it, as it will peel off and looks like crap. why would you put that on anyway? Protection?

What are you using for your Oar's, a clip of some kind? Were did you get them?

Seen these the other day while surfing the net, and they kinda caught my attention. Anyone have any thoughts on these little guys? http://www.smalloutb...2cycle25hp.html

I searched Craigslist for and Old Trolling motor, with a metal shaft. Found one close by for $20.00 bucks. Cut the Powerhead, and top of the unit off,so that all I had left was the bracket and the metal shaft. Flattened one in of the shaft in my vise, about 12 inches of it. Attached a piece of sheet metal about 8 x 11 with bolts. Now I always leave the Bracket attached to the boat, and only remove the shaft from the unit. Also has a built in tilt, as most trolling motors do, so when the weeds get real thick, I can lift it up and slide thru, then hit the button and she tilts back down. You can see my contraption if you look at the rear of my boat. Might give you and idea. Don't have to worry about it falling off, and will hold fast in a turn, unlike those that just hang on.

I put down 3/4 marine plywood in the floor with outdoor carpet over that. Added some weight, but I have mine on a trailer and launch it like a normal boat. Also added nicer seats and added a pole to the front seat. As for the wind blowing you around, yes these little boats are easly effected by the wind. But did you have any trouble navigating the water? I've seen guys out with no rudder on, and they can't hardly steer in a straight line. With my rudder I have no issues with the wind, and she goes were i point her. What size rudder are you using? As for standing, I stand in mine and cast sometimes and the plywood floor does make it feel more stable, but I'm short anyways so I have a low center of gravity.

Has anyone bought 1 of these yet? MotorGuide® Bulldog Foot-Control Transom-Mount Trolling Motor - 54-lb. Thrust

I took some black elec tape and put 1 wrap on it, and it fit's snuggly in the holder. If I run the trolling motor wide open it will still pop out, but on slower trolling speeds it will hold just fine.